No-Bitch-Zone

I had one of my most productive days on Monday. I couldn't tell you why Monday was different than other days. I just moved from file to file, wip to wip, email to email. I wasn't operating on all cylinders. My knee still hurts like an S.O.B. My head still hurts--not quite like an S.O.B. I still had that Demon Baby running around here. In fact, if you want to know what a typical morning before dawn is like with him, read this. I still had a lot of personal stress. My checkbook still didn't balance. I still had more bills than money. But . . . I just had told myself to suck it up. No complaining. No sighing. No bitching. Just do it.

A few years ago, I wrote this hardcover book for Prentice Hall with one of my best friends, who is a family psychologist. I had a six-figure freelance career working from home, long before anyone had ever even really heard the term "telecommuting" or "job sharing" or any of the things that are fashionable now. She had given up her corporate office for a home office after adopting a little boy and, in the blink of an eye, her whole world changing. We had a very nice editor--a guy, very hard-driven and smart, and Type A. And I will never forget our "power lunch." In talking about work and career he said something along the lines of, "I try to convey to my kids how lucky they are to be kids, because once you graduate college and have a career, absolutely NO ONE except your parents really gives a shit about your problems." And I was struck by how right he was.

Now, don't get me wrong. I have this blog precisely because I DO care about other writers' struggles. I feel cared about by other writers here. By my best friend. By my PARENTS (he was right there, for sure). By my sisters. But in the end, I can't write your book for you. And you can't write mine. I can commiserate. But in the end, it is absolutely about . . . sticking your ass in a chair and just doing it.

Nothing magical happened on Monday. Nothing at all. But I also didn't let myself complain. I didn't sigh. It was a No-Bitch-Zone. I just did it.

And maybe that's just the secret for productivity. I don't know. I'll try bitching today and see what it gets me. :-)

Maybe, in thinking about it, Monday was so productive because I realized I really LIKE what I do. Even the really difficult times of being a writer are better than . . . well, any other job.

Thoughts?